TEMPE, Ariz. — LMU couldn't solve Arizona State's pitching staff Saturday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, falling 9-1 to drop to 5-12 on the season.
LMU starter Adam Behrens gave the Lions a solid if unspectacular outing, working 5⅓ innings with five strikeouts. He kept the Lions within striking distance through five frames before the Sun Devils pulled away with a four-run sixth.
The Lions had their chances. In the third inning, LMU loaded the bases with two outs but couldn't cash in, as
Zion Williams grounded out to strand three runners. In the fifth,
Travis Friend led off with a double and the Lions put runners on first and second before going quietly again.
Friend was one of the few consistent bright spots offensively, finishing 3-for-4 with a double. Williams added a 2-for-4 night of his own. The Lions left nine runners on base and went hitless in several innings against a deep ASU bullpen.
The lone run came in the ninth when freshman catcher
Jordan Ortiz smacked an RBI double to deep right field, plating
Alex Gamboa who had drawn a leadoff walk. It was a small but encouraging moment for a lineup that struggled to generate consistent offense all evening.
The Lions and Sun Devils wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. (PT).
